HUNTER COLLEGE READING/WRITING CENTER

GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS

The Verb System: Modals
MODALS

Modals are a group of auxiliary verbs that are used to express an attitude or idea of
prediction, ability, necessity, permission, or politeness.

Modals, unlike all other verbs, have no -s form, and they do not always change form from
present to past.

In English there are nine modals:

will can shall may must

would could should might

Only would, could, should, and might are used in the past, but all nine modals may be used
in the present.

Present
I would like to come tomorrow, but I should really do my homework, so I don't
think I will.

I could do my homework tonight.

If I finish early, I might come.

Past
He said he would help us move.

Later he called to say he might have to work.

We decided we should start without him.

All modals, whether they are used in the past or the present must be followed by the simple
or base form of the main verb.

I should arrive on time.

If I am late, you can call my mother to find out what happened.

He knew he would be late, so he called to apologize.

SEMI-MODALS

In addition to the nine modals, there are several phrases known as semi-modals. These have
the same basic meaning and function as the modals, but they have a different form.

The following is a list of semi-modals with their modal equivalents:

am/is/are going to = will

am/is/are able to = can

was/were going to = would (prediction in past)

used to = would (habitual in past)

ought to = should

have/has/had to = must

& informally,

need/needs/needed to = must or should

Unlike modals, semi-modals do change form for present and past and do have an -s
form.

I am going to call my mother tonight.

She is going to pick us up at the bus stop.

Your friends weren't able to attend the wedding.

My son needs to work on his spelling..

The only exceptions are ought to, which doesn't change form and used to which is only used
in past tense.

He ought to know better than to call me so late.

Even when he lived at home, we always used to go to bed early.

Semi-modals, like modals, are always followed by the base form of the main verb.

I was going to arrive on time, but when the pilot had to return to the terminal, we
were delayed, and I wasn't able to notify you.

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THE MEANINGS OF MODALS

All modals, in all their uses, express some degree of vagueness or uncertainty. They also
tend to fall along a continuum from more to less probable, possible, realistic, necessary, or polite.
The following illustrations may help to make this idea of a continuum clear:

Making Predictions

Even when you use the most definite modal, will, you are only making a prediction, not
expressing certainty about the future, since we can never be fully certain of the future.
Thus, even when you say you will be somewhere at a certain time, both you and the person
you are speaking to know that it is possible that you won't.

least certain<------------------------------------------------------------------------->most certain

could might may should will

If you don't get up early, you could miss your class.

I might get there late, but I will be in class tomorrow.

I should make it on time, unless the trains are running late.

Making Inferences

An inference is similar to a prediction, but instead of guessing what could or will happen,
an inference is a guess about the reason for something or the meaning of something.

unlikely<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->likely
could might may must

I don't know why he's late. I guess he could be stuck in traffic.

He may have lost the phone number because he usually calls on time.

You must be in love because you look so happy.

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 Expressing Permission, Recommendation, and Obligation

permission suggestion recommendation obligation

(Allowed) (Optional) (Advisable) (Required)
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
can/may could/ might should must

You can come any time, but you may want to be early to get a good seat.

You could take a day off tomorrow if you can't find a babysitter.

You should go to the ballet; it's fantastic.

No matter what, you must hand in your work on time.

Note: Students whose first language is not English sometimes confuse should with have to, the
semi-modal equivalent of must. If something is a good idea or even strongly advised, use should.
If it's required or necessary, then use have to or must.

I should go to bed early because I have to be at work at 7 A.M.

At registration the clerk told me I had to get a copy of my transcript before I would
be able to register.

Making Polite Requests

When making requests, the modal is placed first since a polite request is a form of a question.

most polite<---------------------------------------------------------------------------->most direct

[formal] could would can will [informal]

Would you join me for lunch?

Can you leave early tomorrow?

Will you be quiet?

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Note: the most direct way of making a request is to use an imperative:

Be quiet!
Take off your shoes.
or
more politely: Please, be quiet.

Requesting Permission

When requesting permission, it is common to be even more polite (sometimes even humble)

most polite<---------------------------------------------------------------------------->most direct

might could may can

Might I have a moment of your time?

Could you give me a ride?

May I speak frankly?

Can I talk to you?

MODALS IN CONDITIONAL STATEMENTS

Modals are also used to distinguish realistic conditions from unrealistic, imaginary, or
impossible ones. In this case, modals are used with conditional clauses (if clauses).

Realistic Conditions

All nine modals and all semi-modals may be used to express realistic or possible conditions.

If I want to see you tonight, I will call you.

If you don't eat regularly, you should take vitamins.

If he took the train, he might be late.

I ought to get an 'A' if I work hard all semester.

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Unrealistic Conditions

To express unrealistic or imaginary situations (conditions contrary to fact) in the present,

the following modals are used:

would
could
should
might

If I were rich, I could quit my job.

If I won the lottery, I would give you a million dollars.

To express unreal conditions in the past (situations that did not occur) special modal forms
are used:
would have }
could have } + participle
should have }
might have }

If you had given me the money, I would have paid the rent on time.

If I had known you would be late, I could have taken the bus.

NOTE: You may have noticed that the verb forms in the if-clauses expressing imaginary
situations are a bit unusual. In the present the form won is used instead of win. Even more
unusually, were is used instead of am, is or are. In the past, the perfect form (had + participle)
is used instead of the simple past.
These are subjunctive verb forms. The subjunctive is rarely used in English, and since it
uses familiar forms (in unfamiliar places) it is often hard to recognize and understand.

Some information in this handout was modified from the following source:

Deakins, Parry, Viscount. A Tapestry Grammar. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1994

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